Bright and Shiny Life
by Meg Nik
Summary: This story is based eight years after Dark and Twisty life. Derek and Meredith have started a family along with a twist from Addison.
1. Prologue

"**Bright and Shiny Life"**

**A/N: I do not own any of the Grey's Anatomy characters. I do own Kinsley and Kennedy and any other children that decide to come along :) Enjoy and R/R.**

**Prologue**

It had been eight years since Kennedy graced Derek and Meredith with her presence. It had also been eight years since Kinsley came in their lives as well. Addison wanted Kinsley to get to know her father and let Derek have full custody with visitation during the summer and Christmas holidays for Addison. Derek had been overwhelmed when he discovered he already had a daughter he did not know about. Five years ago, Derek and Meredith did have a little boy they named Kollin. It was a very routine pregnancy unlike Kennedy's. Kennedy's heart murmur was essentially still not life threatening. Kinsley was now the magic number thirteen years of age, Kennedy was eight, and Kollin was five.

Now let's take a look at what happened with the rest of the Grey's Anatomy gang.

Owen and Cristina finally got married a year after Kennedy was born. They have a little boy named Blake who is six. Cristina is also Kennedy's godmother, and Owen is Kollin's godfather.

Arizona and Callie are now "married." Since Washington State does not give gay couples rights to marriage, it's called a domestic partnership. They also have a daughter named Sofia who is seven. Her father is Mark Sloan.

Lexie is with Jackson. They are thinking about marriage..Finally.

Alex and Lucy have been dating off and on for the past eight years. Nothing too serious.

Bailey and Dr. Webber are still working at Seattle Grace- Mercy West.

**A/N: I know this is short but I just wanted to have a background for ya'll to know what's going on in the story..More to come :).**


	2. This is the Stuff

"**This is the Stuff"**

**A/N: Sorry that the first chapter/prologue was so short. I felt the need to get ya'll up to speed on what was going on with everyone. But please read and review...As I get closer to finals the less time I have to write…sooo if you want to review it might help me make time :).**

_Beep. Beep. Beep._ Derek Shepherd threw his hand up to hit the alarm. Rolling over to wake up his wife, he was stopped by the beautiful April sunrise he saw out the window of their house, the house they had built together shortly after Kennedy was born. The four bedroom, five bath monster of a house had grown to be the perfect home for the Shepherd brood. Reaching toward his wife, he shook her. "Meredith, honey, its morning wake up. Gotta get the kids going. Don't want them to be late for school." He knew how much his wife hated getting up early. She definitely was not a morning person.

"Okay, okay. I'm up. Happy?" Meredith rolled over and kissed her husband passionately. The fire had never left their marriage of now nine years. Meredith got out of the bed, put on her robe, and went to work on prying her thirteen-year-old stepdaughter, Kinsley, out of bed. She was not a morning person either. Usually by the time she got to Kennedy and Kollin's rooms they were already bouncing off the walls. She always wondered where her biological children got their energy from, when her stepdaughter was exactly like her, which she found scary.

Meredith padded down the hall towards Kinsley room. She knocked and then opened the door, walking to Kinsley's bed. "Kinsley, honey. It's time to get up," Meredith tapped her stepdaughter on the back. Kinsley rose up her red head in her bed and looked at her stepmother in disbelief.

"Really? It can't be morning already can it?" Kinsley groaned through her braced teeth as she rolled out of her bed. _Mission accomplished, _Meredith thought as she left the room. She could already hear Kennedy rummaging through her closet. _I have chatty children._ Meredith thought back to the time she was talking to Cristina about it and then after Cristina snapped on her, she fell and was impaled with an icicle. Meredith believed in her children picking their own clothes out for school. Meredith stuck her head in Kennedy's room to check on her progress.

"How's it going, honey?" Kennedy was holding two different shirts unsure of which one matched the shorts she was going to wear to school that day.

"Mommy, which shirt goes better? The red one or the green one?" Meredith looked at the shorts Kennedy picked out, which were purple. Trying her best not to sound like she wanted to laugh, Meredith walked over to where her eight-year-old daughter was worrying with what shirt to wear.

"Let's look in your closet for a different color, like pink or white. Those colors go better with purple than green or red." Meredith looked through Kennedy's closet and found a pink t-shirt and a white one. Her daughter, she realized, was definitely her blonde headed child. She had blonde moments just like her mommy did growing up. "Here, which one would you like to wear today?"

"The pink one." Kennedy grabbed for the shirt happily. "Thank you, mommy." Meredith left her happy daughter to go help her five-year-old son get dressed. He was still having trouble with putting things on correctly, like shoes on the right feet and shirt on right and not backwards.

Meredith walked across the hall to Kollin's room. Sticking her head in, she saw her little boy, her baby, playing with his racecars in the floor. "Good morning, sweetheart."

Kollin looked up and beamed at his mom. "Good morning, mommy. Do I have to go to school today? I want to stay home and play cars with you and daddy."

Meredith smiled down at her son, who was a mini version of his daddy, which broke her heart every time he got into trouble. She had trouble disciplining him because she imagined him as Derek. "No, sweetheart, you have to go to school. Mommy and daddy have to go to work so I can buy you more cars."

"Okay…" Kollin said as he cleaned up his cars that were spread throughout the floor as Meredith headed to his closet. She picked him out some denim shorts and a blue t-shirt.

"Come on, sweetheart. Let's get you dressed. Let's see if we can beat Kinsley downstairs today." Kollin lived for beating his oldest sister at getting ready for school. It was pretty easy to do considering she was insistent on wearing makeup since she turned thirteen. Her argument was that every teenager wears makeup.

After getting Kollin dressed, Meredith headed downstairs, to find her husband and Kennedy making breakfast for everyone. Kollin bounded down the stairs. "Mommy! I beat Kinsley again!"

"Good job." Meredith walked over to the stairs and screamed up to her stepdaughter, "Kinsley, hurry up. You're going to be late!"

"I'm coming!" Kinsley yelled back before bounding down the stairs.

Meredith got Kollin and Kennedy settled at the table just when Kinsley came running into the kitchen full speed ahead. "Whoa, slow down there." Derek dodged his daughter and set the food on the table.

Breakfast was a flurry of activity. Meredith got the kids to their backpacks and headed out the door to the car. "I'll be back in a few." She ran out the door after the kids.

Derek looked around the kitchen. It was a total wreck. "Lovely. Thanks for leaving the mess for me," he said to no one in particular. Then he thought of a song that Meredith was always singing. _This is the stuff that drives me crazy. This is the stuff that's getting to me lately. In the middle of my little mess, I forget how big I'm blessed._ That is exactly how he felt about his family.

**A/N: So what do you think? The kid's personalities will come out more as the story goes on. The song lyrics at the end are from "This is the Stuff" by Francesca Battistelli, whom I love and admire. Next chapter we will be heading to Seattle Grace- Mercy West Hospital. That should be interesting. Please R/R.**


	3. With A Little Help From My Friends

"**With a Little Help from My Friends"**

**A/N: Thanks to SeriouslyMcDreaming, coolio1206, dermer4ever, CileSuns92, and Grey'sAnatomyfanatic for being the first reviewers of this story. I really appreciate it.. :) and keep them coming :).**

Derek and Meredith were running late as usual. This was a daily routine for them. Any given morning, they could either be really early or really late. They were never on time. Mainly because of thirteen-year-old Kinsley.

"Hey Mer! Running late as usual?" Cristina Yang came by hitting her best friend on the shoulder. "I love that Owen and I only have a boy. They are so low maintenance. Unlike Kinsley." Cristina walked off laughing.

"Yea as long as Kennedy doesn't end up like Kinsley we'll be good." Meredith called after her.

Later that day, Derek was catching up on paperwork that he had neglected the past week. He was just beginning to make a dent in the massive pile of papers when his pager went off. _911. ER_, his pager read. Must be a head injury

Meanwhile, Meredith was working with a post-op patient, checking labs, and ordering her residents and interns around. She was writing some notes in the chart when her pager also went off. _911. ER_, it read. Meredith jumped up and headed to the elevator.

When Meredith and Derek both got to the ER Cristina and Mark were there to fill them in.

"Why did you page me?" Derek looked at Mark, itching for some action. Mark glanced over at Cristina.

"Meredith, Derek. I think you should sit down. It's Kollin."

Meredith refused to sit down. "What's wrong? He was fine when I dropped him at school this morning."

Cristina went over to her friend and sat down with her. "He went to sleep during nap time and then they couldn't get him up. We think he had a mild stroke. With some physical therapy and speech therapy, we think he will be just fine."

Derek tried to run past Mark. "I'm a neurosurgeon. I should be in there."

Mark stopped him. "Derek, you are in no condition to help him. You are freaking out. Calm down. Remember when Callie and Sofia were hurt. You refused to let me do anything and now I'm not allowing you to do anything. Let us handle it. We have it under control."

Cristina and Mark went back into the room, where Arizona and Bailey were working on Kollin, leaving Meredith and Derek standing in the hallway wondering what was going to happen.

A couple of hours later, Meredith and Derek were still sitting in the waiting room. Just when Meredith was going to go bust in on Kollin's surgery to correct a heart valve abnormality, which had caused the stroke, she heard running footsteps. She looked up to see Kennedy running from Lexie to give her mom a "feel better" hug as she called them.

"Mommy!" Kennedy ran up and gave her mom and dad a huge bearhug. "Where's Kollin? He didn't leave school with us."

Meredith waited on Kinsley to sit down next to her dad. Pulling Kennedy up into her lap, she looked over at Derek.

Derek looked at his two beautiful daughters. "Kinsley, Kennedy. Kollin didn't wake up from naptime today. So they called the paramedics to come pick him up and bring him here so Dr. Robbins and Dr. Bailey could make him wake up. Remember Kennedy when you were born your heart scared us. Well Kollin's heart is scaring us now."

"Ok, daddy." Kennedy looked at her dad with scared eyes. "Mommy, I'm hungry."

"I'll take her to the cafeteria, Come on Kennedy." Kinsley grabbed her little sister's hand and they walked to the elevator.

Meredith looked over at Lexie. "Thanks for getting the girls, Lexie. I wish they would hurry up already!"

Lexie side hugged her sister, "Everything's going to be okay. I'm sure of it."

Finally, Arizona and Bailey came out. Lexie, Meredith, and Derek all stood up and walked over to the doctors.

"The surgery went great. We fixed the valve and he's resting comfortably in recovery. When he wakes up, we'll know how bad the stroke was, but I think he's going to be just fine. He's like his mother, a fighter." Dr. Bailey hugged Meredith. "I'll let you know when he is moved into a room."

"Thank you, Miranda." Derek got up and hugged Dr. Bailey.

"You're very welcome, Derek. Now let me go get him settled in recovery." Dr. Bailey walked back towards the OR to move Kollin to recovery.

"What did I tell you? Everything is going to be fine." Lexie grinned at her sister.

"Yes it is. Thank you for being positive for us in all of this, Lexie." Meredith leaned over and hugged her sister.

**A/N: I feel like ending this chapter here, so sorry it's so short. And sorry it took me so long for this update. Between family issues and the tornadoes here in Alabama it has been a crazy few weeks. Please R/R. I admit this isn't my best chapter but I hit a road block in my writing. Enjoy :)**


	4. It's a Long Road

**A/N: Thanks to CileSuns92, SeriouslyMcDreaming, LexBex1126, and seriously56 for reviewing. And for those of you who are wondering Addison is still in L.A. working there. I'm still coming up with a story line for that when she does decide to reappear. And seriously56 thanks for making me think about that..it just gave me a whole story line :). Thanks also to SeriouslyMcDreaming for keeping the South and everywhere else that has been hit by tornadoes recently in your prayers during this time of recovery as well. I was blessed to have no damage but some of my family and friends had damage.. **

"**It's a Long Road"**

It had been two weeks since Kollin had been discharged from the hospital. He had a mild stroke, but he wasn't getting him down. Although he was slower, he was still doing his share of tormenting his sisters. He was even back at school. Meredith had taken her lunch break late to pick the kids up from school.

After sitting in the car rider line for twenty minutes, Kollin, Kennedy, and Kinsley finally get in the car. "How was your day?" Meredith looked back in the mirror at her two youngest.

"I drew this picture today for you and daddy," Kollin said as he held up a piece of construction paper.

"I love it, Kollin. This is going to go on the refrigerator when we get home."

"I made a 100 on my spelling test today," Kennedy beamed from the backseat.

"I am so proud of you, Kennedy!" Meredith beamed right back at her daughter. "What about your day, Kinsley?"

"It was okay. Nothing special." Kinsley said as she looked out the window.

Meredith knew when Kinsley was in this kind of mood to leave her alone.

As they approached the house, Meredith noticed an unfamiliar car in the driveway. At first she was just going to drive by, but as they got closer she noticed a familiar red head sitting on the front porch. Addison.

"Is that my mom?" Kinsley stared at the porch in disbelief. Kinsley hadn't seen her mother except for a few Christmases in eight years.

"I think it is," Meredith said as she was also staring at her porch in disbelief. "Why don't you all go in the house while I talk to Kinsley's mom, okay?" Meredith asked Kollin and Kennedy. "Kinsley, will you fix them their afternoon snack?"

"Sure, c'mon munchkins."

After Meredith made sure the kids were in the house, she approached Addison. "Hey, what brings you to our neck of the woods?"

Addison stood up and looked Meredith straight in the eye. "I just thought I would stop by and say hi. I got called for a consult at Seattle Grace, and my patient is doing well so I thought I would see in Kinsley wanted to hang out tonight. Maybe go get pizza and see a movie."

"I don't see why there is a problem with it. Come get her around seven?" Meredith asked.

"That's fine. I'll see you all later."

Later on that night, Kinsley was sitting in the living room waiting expectantly for her mother to arrive. Meredith had yet to tell Derek what was going on. Just when he thought it was going to be a peaceful night, the doorbell rang. Derek got up to see who was at the door at this hour. As he opened the door, his mouth dropped in shock.

"Hi, Derek."

**A/N: Sorry this is a short chapter and took so long to think up. I started a new tutoring job on top of my normal job so I've been a moving target the past few weeks. Hope everyone is doing well. Hopefully the next chapter will not take as long :) R/R Please :)**


	5. Gives You Hell

**A/N: Sorry it's taken me so long yet again to update. I'm afraid I'm becoming one of those authors that take forever to update. I was on vacation last week and did not have time to think much less write and had no internet access. Enjoy :) and R/R.**

"**Gives You Hell."**

After a reluctant Derek let Kinsley leave with Addison, he let loose on Meredith. "What the hell! Why does she think she can just show back up after so many years. Why now?" Derek was fuming.

"Honey, calm down. It's better now than never. You don't want Kinsley to become me now do you?" Meredith looked worriedly at her husband, trying to crack a joke.

"I guess you're right, but still she could have called and warned me." Derek glanced down the hallway towards the door.

Meanwhile, Addison had taken Kinsley to a movie and dinner.

"How is school going?" Addison asked Kinsley, watching her daughter pick at her food.

"It's ok. I don't really like school that much. It bores me." Kinsley said, looking out a window at the ferry sailing by.

"Can I ask you a question?" Addison took a sip of her wine.

"Sure. What is it, mom?" Kinsley looked into her mother's scared eyes.

"What would you say to moving back to L.A. with me? Living with Sam and I?"

This shocked Kinsley. After all these years, her mother wanted her back. It had hurt and confused Kinsley when her mother left her on her father's doorstep eight years earlier. "What does dad think?"

"I haven't asked him yet. I wanted to get your input on it first."

"Let me think about it."

After Kinsley got home, Addison asked if she could talk to Derek and Meredith alone. Kinsley headed up the stairs to find Kennedy and Kollin playing in their rooms. _They have life so easy, living with both their mother and father. I'll never have that. I wonder if anyone would notice if I just disappeared._ Right then, Kinsley made up her mind. She was just going to disappear. Nobody would notice anyways.

She headed to her room and grabbed her duffle bag out of her closet. She packed as much stuff as she could fit into the duffle and it not be too heavy for her to jump to the tree outside of her window. Just when she turned to go out of the window she heard the commotion begin downstairs.

Derek was furious with Addison. "Why should I let you take her back to L.A.? You just abandoned her at my doorstep at the mere age of five for personal reasons. Just because you and Sam were having problems doesn't mean that you should abandon your child on the doorstep of the father who didn't know she existed. It took me forever to realize that I went from having no kids to two amazing daughters in the matter of 9 months. I don't think it is such a good idea for Kinsley to go with you. How do I know you won't do it again in a year or even less time?"

Addison's eyes were filling with tears as Meredith just sat and looked on. "Derek, there was more going on than I told you. There was that stuff with Mom and I just couldn't hold it together. I didn't want Kinsley to see me fall apart. I wasn't strong enough to deal with it all and stay healthy for Kinsley's sake. That's why I 'abandoned' her here with you. I just want to get to know my daughter better. As the thirteen-year-old she is now, not the five-year-old I left here."

Derek looked from Meredith to Addison. "Give me time to think about it and talk to Kinsley about it. I'll give you a call tomorrow and tell you the decision."

Outside, Kinsley had made it down the tree and to the garage where she got her bike and helmet out. As she loaded her duffle into the basket on the back and strapped it in, she looked back to see a messed up scene. Her biological mother sitting on the couch crying, her dad was red faced with tears running down his face, and her stepmother was sitting in awe of what was happening. She started pedaling down the street with no clue where she was going. She ended up at a local park that had an indoor computer area. She parked her bike, grabbed her duffle, and locked up the bike on the bike rack. She headed into the building that was thankfully open twenty-four hours and plopped down on the couch in the room. This was the beginning of her new nomadic life.

After Derek and Meredith drove Addison back to the hotel she was staying at, they drove home to talk it out with Kinsley. As they headed up the stairs, they saw Kollin and Kennedy playing Wii in the playroom. Derek smiled to himself, thinking this was what he wanted, to be surrounded by his children. All of his children. Meredith had gone ahead of him and caught him by surprise when she came out with a look of panic in her eyes.

"Kinsley's gone. All she left was this note that says 'I don't belong here'." Meredith ran to her husband and cried into his shoulder.

"Go in and keep Kollin and Kennedy occupied. I'm calling the cops and then Addison."

**A/N: So what do ya'll think so far? This randomly came off the top of my head and I will have to say I am proud of myself with this one :). And if any of ya'll are into roleplaying I have created a Grey's Anatomy roleplay. Here's the link: **

**.net/forum/Greys_Anatomy_Roleplaying/93219/ (www dot fanfiction dot net / forum / Greys_Anatomy_Roleplaying / 93219 / )**

**Hope ya'll will join me :) Oh and R/R Please!**

**(it's not letting me put the entire URL so the beginning of it is fanfiction :)**


	6. Author's Note On Hiatus

**Author's Note**

**Just wanted to let all of you know that now that I'm in student teaching and working two jobs that my updates will be very scarce until graduation on December 16! Thank you for supporting me with my story so far. Just did not want ya'll to think that my story would be unfinished. It will be finished but only when I do not have a load of lesson plans or projects to do. Hope everyone had a wonderful August! Have a great rest of your 2011! See you in December :)**

**~Meg Nik~**


	7. Mercy

**A/N: I found some time to write this chapter, thanks to lovely co-workers that covered one of my shifts this weekend so I got my homework done for the weekend. So here it is enjoy :) and R/R. Also a BIG thanks to my bff, Morgan, who has helped me edit this :) and Thanks to SweetLala92, Grey'sAnatomyfanatic, and CileSuns92 for reviewing. And thanks to CileSuns92 our PM encouraged me to try to write today due to boredom because I know all of my readers are real people with real lives too and understand when we hit roadblocks like school.**

"**Mercy"**

It had been three weeks since Kinsley ran away. Derek, Addison, and Meredith held many search parties looking for her. Kinsley was good at evading from the police. She did not want to be found and have to choose between the family she has known for the last eight years or her mother and future stepfather.

Kinsley stayed at many places, starting with the computer place. She even had to sleep outside for a few nights. She was still doing school work because her friends were bringing her homework to her. She did not want to get too far behind.

Meanwhile, Addison had stayed in town to try and find her daughter. Chief Webber allowed her to work at Seattle Grace-Mercy West until she was able to go back to L.A. Derek was getting more agitated as each day passed. He missed Kinsley dearly and hated Addison for showing back up trying to take her away. Meredith tried to keep a somewhat normal routine for Kennedy and Kollin.

As the days turned into weeks, the entire Seattle Grace-Mercy West community grew tense. They knew what roadblocks Derek and Meredith hit the past fourteen years, from the ferry boat accident that almost took Meredith's life, to the shooting that almost took Derek's. The hospital staff helped as much as they could.

Kennedy and Kollin took the situation harder than the adults. They couldn't understand why Kinsley would just leave without saying goodbye. The kids at school talked about Kinsley's absence every day. It was starting to wear on Kennedy. Kollin, being that he was so young, did not pay as much attention to the matter. He was only aware of the situation at hand to the extent that his youth would allow.

Soon, however, Kinsley ran out of places to hide. The police alerted the entire Seattle metro area. She saw her picture on a billboard during her third week on the run. She missed Kennedy and Kollin as well.

Finally, Kinsley decided to face the music and rode back towards her neighborhood. She decided to choose her dad. Her mom would be hurt, but she saw this situation as a form payback. Kinsley would visit them during the summer, which was only a few weeks away, but only if her dad let her out of his sight again.

As Kinsley approached the house, she saw a cop car along with her parents' cars in the driveway. She saw Kennedy and Kollin playing the game Candyland on the front porch, the only game they ever wanted to play. She paused to reflect on what their lives would have been like without her there. Just as she decided to turn around and leave, Kennedy spotted her.

"Kinsley! Mommy, Daddy. Kinsley is right over there!" Kennedy ran to the door screaming.

_Great. Thanks, Kennedy…_ Kinsley approached the house knowing it was too late to take off again.

Derek, Meredith, and Addison ran out of the house with a police officer right behind them. "Kinsley, are you okay? You scared all of us to death." Derek said as he approached his eldest daughter, hugging her, exhaling a deep sigh of relief.

"I'm fine, Dad. I just needed some time away from all of this." Kinsley admitted taking in the chaotic scene of the misfit family that stared back at her.

After the excitement settled down, Meredith chased a protesting Kennedy and Kollin to bed to give Derek and Addison a minute alone with Kinsley.

"Why did you run away like that, Kinsley?" Addison said, glancing at her.

"I didn't want to have to choose where to live. I wanted everything to be hunky dory." Kinsley said, looking down at her Converse.

"We're not going to make you choose, honey." Derek said, looking at his ex-wife. "Your mom has decided that you already have a wonderful life here."

Kinsley looked at her mom in disbelief. "You actually said that? I think my life stinks. I will never have what Kennedy and Kollin have. Meredith is cool, but she will never replace you, Mom." Kinsley walked over to where her parents sat. She knew this was one of the only times she would see her parents sitting side by side. Kinsley leaned down and hugged them both. "I love you both."

**A/N: I hope this answered the questions I left you with back in July. I also hope that you all had a marvelous Labor Day weekend. I have Tropical Storm Lee raining on my parade this weekend so I figured I would take this time to find time to write :). So here it is.. I may not get to update again until October. Thanks for hanging in there with me. and Please R/R. :) It is greatly appreciated.**


	8. Summer's Not Hot

**A/N: So I found more time I figured give you all more now to keep ya'll until October (Fall Break) or December (after graduation (:) So here is yet another chapter. Thanks to Morgan "My Editor" as I call her and also my best friend. Also, a big thanks to CileSuns92, dermer4ever, and belairdesi for reviewing. **

**Summer's Not Hot**

Two weeks after Kinsley returned home, school let out for the summer. Derek was working days, and Meredith was working nights to avoid the hassle of hiring a baby sitter. Normally Kinsley would babysit, but she was still gaining her trust back.

Meredith and Derek were hiding a huge surprise from their family. As the July Fourth holiday grew near, the ecstatic parents starting to drop hints about the secret, but they would not make the announcement until the whole family came together.

Derek's mom decided to throw the family a surprise of her own. She decided to visit earlier than expected. Pulling up in the driveway, she saw her three of her wonderful sixteen grandchildren. She savored moments like this since Kennedy and Kollin were most likely her last two grandchildren…That is if Amelia did not decide to get married and have kids.

Getting out of the car, Carolyn Shepherd snuck up behind Kinsley, Kennedy, and Kollin and screamed, "Surprise!"

The three children jumped in fright. As they turned around, they saw their grandmother for the first time since last summer. "Grandma! What are you doing here? You're not supposed to be here until next week." Kinsley said, looking at her grandmother in surprise.

Hearing the commotion, Derek headed over to the kitchen window, leaving Meredith to prepare the sandwiches for their picnic. "You are not going to believe this. My mother is outside with our children."

Meredith ran over to the window. "She's not supposed to be here until next week when everyone else comes," Meredith told him, deciding to make an extra sandwich for their picnic.

The next week was a flurry of activity, getting ready for the rest of the Shepherd brood and Meredith's much smaller family to come for the week of July Fourth.

All of Derek's sisters and their huge broods arrived. The kids have all grown up so fast that it was depressing Carolyn. **A/N: This part is probably going to be repetitive but I feel like you all need to know how old all of the grandchildren are now.**

Nancy and her husband Michael Ingram's children , Jacob, now a nineteen-year-old college sophomore, is majoring in respiratory therapy, his girlfriend Liberty Knight is his high school sweetheart; Ethan is fifteen and in tenth grade; Natalie is fourteen going on thirty and in ninth grade; and Alexis is eleven and in sixth grade. Kathleen and her husband David Jensen's children, Sophia, who is twenty and a junior in college majoring in elementary education, and her loving boyfriend, Joel Cain, is majoring in physical therapy; Madison is seventeen and entering her senior year of high school; Abigail is fifteen and is going into tenth grade; Daniel is thirteen and is in eighth grade; and Emma is eleven and in sixth grade. Emily and her husband Robert James' children, Matthew, who is fourteen and in ninth grade; Kelsey, who is twelve and in seventh grade; Isabella is ten and in fifth grade; and Hannah is eight and in third grade. Laura Grey Thompson, Molly and Eric Thompson's daughter, is now thirteen and in eighth grade. Amelia is still single with no hopes of having children anytime soon. Lexie is still dating Jackson Avery, and he is trying to find the right time to propose.

Meredith was thankful for Carolyn's help in figuring out where to put everyone. When the day arrived, Carolyn was the only sane one keeping everything in order.

As soon as the cookout began, everyone sat down with some food, and Derek and Meredith stood up, calling out for everyone's attention.

This was the moment that Kinsley, Kennedy, and Kollin had been waiting for all summer.

Derek put a supportive arm around his wife and said, "We have an announcement to make."

**A/N: Sorry for the cliffhanger. I felt this was a good place to stop. Happy Labor Day, everyone. There may be another chapter today if I have time. So enjoy. This will be the last time I have time to write like this until October 17 or December 17. Please R/R.**


	9. Then There Were Six

**A/N: Sorry it has taken me so long to update. I have had a lot on my plate the past few months. I had to take an incomplete in my internship which means I started all over on January 2, 2012. Joy…not lol. But good news is I got all my assignments done this past weekend which means more time for writing :) so enjoy this new chapter..and R/R. It would be very much appreciated…And thanks to dermer4ever, SweetLaLa92, and CileSuns92 for reviewing. I hope it was worth the wait :).**

"**Then There Was Six"**

_As soon as the cookout began, everyone sat down with some food, and Derek and Meredith stood up, calling out for everyone's attention._

_This was the moment that Kinsley, Kennedy, and Kollin had been waiting for all summer._

_Derek put a supportive arm around his wife and said, "We have an announcement to make."_

Everyone looked up in anticipation.

"We're expecting…" Meredith paused to take in the family's reaction.

"Really?" "That's awesome." "Yay! I hope it's a boy." The last comment was Kollin's, who was sick of being the only boy other than his father.

"We're due in November." Derek said with glee lacing his voice.

"Just in time for the holidays. It will be wonderful to have another little Derek or Meredith running through my house for the holidays," Carolyn said as she bombarded Derek and Meredith with hugs and kisses.

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A few weeks had passed since the big announcement. Meredith had not been able to go to work all week. She had been sick for two weeks straight and was getting tired of living in the bathroom.

Even the kids noticed that something was wrong with their mom. Derek tried to keep the kids busy so they wouldn't notice what was going on with Meredith.

One rare, hot night in August, Derek sat beside Meredith on the bathroom floor. "Is there anything I can do for you, honey?"

"Make this stupid morning sickness go away. I don't remember being this sick with Kennedy or Kollin." Meredith leaned over on Derek.

"It will pass, I promise," Derek reassured his wife.

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The first day of school had finally arrived. The kids were excited, especially since Meredith was feeling better and glowing with life. She was six, almost seven, months pregnant. She was keeping the sex of the baby a secret from everyone, even Derek and Cristina.

Since Kinsley was now in junior high, Derek took the liberty to take his eldest daughter to her first day of seventh grade. That left Meredith to take Kennedy to her third grade classroom and Kollin to his first grade classroom. Later, they met at work for a late breakfast before Derek's scheduled craniotomy.

"How did Kinsley handle the new school life?" Meredith glanced over her coffee at her gorgeous husband.

"She did fine, except for her locker. She found some of her friends after her locker was opened and ditched me, saying she was a big girl now." Derek grinned sheepishly. "My little girl isn't the little five-year-old on our doorstep now, is she?"

"Nope. She has grown into a fine young lady. I think she actually matured over the summer."

Later that day, Meredith had gotten home in time to fix a quick supper for a celebratory dinner for the first day of school. As soon as everyone got settled down around the table, Meredith asked, "So how was everyone's day?"

"Junior high is so much better than elementary school, Meredith," Kinsley exclaimed excitedly. "If junior high is this good, I cannot wait for high school."

"Oh, we can definitely wait for that to happen, Kins," Derek laughed at his daughter's eagerness.

"How was your day, Kennedy?" Meredith passed the rolls to Kinsley.

"Third grade is okay so far. Lila is in my class this year again." Lila was Kennedy's best friend from second grade.

"That's wonderful, sweetheart," Derek said. "What about you, Kollin?"

"I miss nap time. First grade don't have nap time." Kollin made the saddest face he could make at his parents. "Can't I go back to kindergarten? Pretty please?"

"No sweetheart. You have to keep going through school like your sisters, so you can be a grown man like your daddy."

After dinner, the kids got their showers and went to their respectful rooms to bed. Meredith and Derek cuddled on the couch. "I cannot wait for our newest bundle of joy to add to this chaos we call life," Meredith kissed her husband and slowly fell asleep on his shoulder.

**A/N: Sorry it has been way too long since I have updated..Life has gotten crazy lately. But here it is with more to come..I have a feeling however this story may come to an end soon :). R/R.**


	10. Halloween

"**Halloween"**

**A/N: Sorry I have neglected this story yet again. I was going a little bit crazy with internship but that is now behind me. I am now a college graduate :) and have more time for writing when I'm not working at O'Charley's or looking for a teaching job. Thanks to CilesSun92 and SweetLala92 for reviews :). Enjoy this chapter. and R/R. **

Two months had passed since that first day of school. Meredith was now 9 months pregnant and ready to pop. Halloween had arrived and the kids were trying to decide what they were going to be for Halloween.

"I think I want to be Woody from Toy Story, Daddy," Kollin said as he looked through the costumes at Walmart.

"I want to be a doctor like you and Mommy." Kennedy was looking at a child's doctor's costume.

"I want to be Katy Perry." Kinsley knew exactly what it would look like. She wanted to dye her hair blue, but knew her dad would have a cow if she did.

Meredith, who had been in the infant section, ventured up on her wonderful, chaotic family. Overhearing what Kinsley said, she responded, "No dying our hair blue. I will go get you a wig or something."

Kinsley turned and saw her very pregnant stepmother and said, "Seriously."

_She's starting to remind me of George, Izzie, Alex, Cristina, and I when we were just mere interns. We threw that word around a lot._ Meredith thought as she hugged her stepdaughter.

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The night had finally arrived. Meredith and Derek had gotten the two youngest ready as Kinsley, very grumpily, put her wig on upstairs with her "kid-friendly" Katy Perry costume. Meredith dressed up as a whale, just as a joke and Derek dressed up as Jonah, to go with Meredith's outfit.

They took the kids throughout their neighborhood first, where they racked up on the candy. They decided to then take them back to where Meredith grew up and trick-or-treat there as well. Meredith had let Lexie and Jackson keep the house. Deciding that her waddling self needed a break, she suggested that they stop at Aunt Lexie's house for some juice.

"Yay, I want to show Aunt Lexie my cowboy hat," Kollin said running up the walkway leading to the door. Kollin beat everyone to the door, and banged on it a million times.

Lexie opened the door to see her sister and her family. "Hey Kollin. Are you having fun trick-or-treating?"

"Very much so," Kollin grinned. "Trick-or-treat."

Lexie couldn't resist her nephews smiling face. "Come on in. It looks like your mom could use time to rest."

The kids ran upstairs to play in the room Lexie kept ready for the kids for whenever the baby arrived. Jackson, Lexie, Derek, and Meredith made their way to the living room to sit and chat for a while.

"So when are you going to tell us all the sex of the baby, Mer." Lexie was anxious to know.

"You will know whenever she or he makes his or her grand debut."

"Come on sis. You can tell me in confidence. If the guys leave, will you?"

"Nope," Meredith said with a mischievous grin on her face.

After an hour had passed, Derek and Meredith figured it was time to get the kids and finish trick-or-treating around the neighborhood and head home.

"I'll go get the kids. You just rest here a few more minutes." Derek headed up the stairs, taking them two at a time. "Come on kids, time to finish getting all that candy."

After listening to a few arguments from Kollin, who preferred to stay at Aunt Lexie's, Derek corralled the kids down the stairs.

Meredith stood up to give her sister a hug, when she felt like a waterfall was coming out of her. "Uh…honey. I think my water just broke."

**A/N: Sorry if it's a little short, but I figured I would end this chapter here as a cliffhanger. I am thinking of starting an ER fanfic based around Abby if any of you like ER. I will let you know when I start it. R/R. :)**


	11. Special Delivery

"**Special Delivery"**

**A/N: Sorry that I'm not updating as fast as I want to…Vacation got in the way! But here's the new update and the last chapter of this story. I feel like this is a good stopping point for the story. There will possibly be another sequel to this series. I haven't completely decided yet. I just want to start some more writing projects. Enjoy and please R/R.**

October 31: 9:16 P.M.

After leaving Kinsley, Kennedy, and Kollin with Lexie and Jackson, Derek drove as fast as he could to the hospital. He felt like he did after the shooting, driving as fast as he could just for the thrill. Except this time it was not for the thrill, but for the sake of Meredith and their unborn child. Meredith had gone into labor during trick-or-treating.

Derek squealed to a stop in front of the ER entrance. He slid across the hood and opened the door for Meredith. Walking as fast as Meredith could, they entered the doors into the hospital. Grabbing a wheelchair, he helped Meredith in it as they made their way to the OB floor. When they approached the elevator, Bailey was standing there waiting on the elevator as well.

"Derek, Meredith. I thought ya'll had the night off for trick-or-treating purposes." Seeing Meredith in the wheelchair, it hit her. "Oh my God, it's time isn't it?" Bailey started pressing the elevator button multiple times.

"Yes, it is. Luckily we were at Lexie's when it happened." Derek stared at Bailey as she pressed the button harder each time. Finally the elevator opened and the three doctors got on.

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October 31: 11:34 P.M.

"You are now 8 centimeters and 100% effaced. Maybe this could still be a Halloween baby after all," April Kepner said as she was the resident on OB that night.

"I'm just ready to get this baby out," Meredith groaned as she looked over at an exhausted Derek.

"Just hang in there, Meredith. It will be all over soon." April walked out of the room.

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November 1: 1:13 A.M.

"It's time for you to push, Meredith," April said as she got setup at the foot of the bed. "Are you ready?"

"Yes, let's get this show on the road," a very sweaty Meredith exclaimed.

"Here we go. Ready, push!"

Derek helped Meredith lean up and pushed her forward to help her out a little bit.

"That was a good push, honey." Derek leaned over and kissed his wife.

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November 1: 3:47 A.M.

"Okay, I know we have been at this a long time now, Meredith. But you need to do one more big push and this baby will be out." April looked just as exhausted as Meredith and Derek did.

"Okay," Meredith cried out in pain as the next contraction came.

Derek held his wife's hand and let her squeeze with all of her might.

"Okay, head is out. Stop pushing, Meredith." April pulled out the rest of the baby's body and suctioned out the baby's nose and mouth.

Meredith and Derek waited impatiently for the baby to cry. It took a few minutes but finally they heard that joyous noise of a baby crying. Meredith was crying, partly from exhaustion and partly from joy.

"Derek, Meredith. Say hello to your beautiful baby boy. He weighs 7 pounds 10 ounces. Twenty inches long. Got a quarterback on our hands." April beamed with pride as she passed the swaddled baby to her friends and coworkers.

Meredith looked up at Derek. "I love you."

"I love you, too." Derek leaned down and kissed his beautiful wife and new son.

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November 1: 11:48 A.M.

After a long night and lots of candy on the kids' part, Meredith was sleeping soundly as was Derek and the new baby boy of the family. Lexie and Jackson poked their heads into the room and saw the adorable couple and baby passed out cold. Lexie turned to the kids and told them to be very quiet because their family was sleeping.

Kennedy looked up excitedly at her aunt. "Okay we will be super quiet!"

The five anxious relatives walked into the room and sat quietly waiting on some sort of movement from the sleeping forms in the room. All of a sudden, Kollin just starts giggling. "The baby has a squished up face." Kollin by this point is rolling in the floor laughing uncontrollably.

Hearing the commotion, Derek and Meredith woke up and saw four smiling faces looking at them and one rolling in the floor laughing. "Hi, kids. There's someone we want you to meet."

Kollin, still chuckling, got up off the floor and joined his sisters next to his parents. Derek got the baby out of the bassinet and walked over to the bed, sitting on it. Passing the baby to Meredith he introduced the new member of the family. "This is Karson, your new baby brother."

Meredith looked around at her family, including Lexie and Jackson. She never wanted this moment of pure glee to end. She finally had what she wanted all along. That was a family.

**A/N: Thank you for CileSuns92 for reviewing! I am sad that this story is over, but am excited about future writing projects. I am starting an ER fanfic now since I have been watching the series from beginning to end the past six months via Netflix so if you like ER you should check it out! Thanks for sticking with me through these past two stories: Dark and Twisty Life and Bright and Shiny Life... and I have determined that I will do a sequel to this one I just have to plan it out. So keep your eyes open for it! And if you're American Happy Independence Day a couple of days early :)! 3 Meg Nik**


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